The True Settlement of a Christians Faith, Letter 1 · Postscript
POSTSCRIPT.
SIR,
IT may ſeem ſtrange, not only the lengthning of this Diſcourſe ſo far, but in inſiſting moſt ſpecially upon that Head of the internal Work, and Demonſtrations of the Spirit of God on mens ſoul; but as I may with humble confidence ſay this was under the ſenſe of ſome peculiar engagements to ſuch a Subject; ſo I ſhall make this further Apology for the ſame. 1. That ſince ever I accounted the Profeſſion of Christ a ſerious buſineſs, I have judged it not conceivable how Chriſtians ſhould have ane aſſent to the truth of the Ghoſpel or be at rest herein, untill it once be brought up to a full, and quieting aſſurance on that ſecurity, to which they muſt concredite themſelves for ever, and thus know the ſtrenth, and ſureneſs of the foundation of their Faith by its own evidence; that tho it be not yet full, whilſt we are here in the way of enjoyment, yet is it undoubtedly full in the truth, and certainty of evidence; I have judged it alſo an addition to the greatest joy which I could have within time, whatever might be a further ſtrenthning to ſuch a Faith, and hope we are called to by the Ghoſpel of Christ, ſo as not to loſe any fragment of this kind, which might tend to a more full eſtabliſhment, and does reckon this the credit, and glory of our Religion, that in no other way it doth require acceptance of men, but with a full aſſurance of underſtanding, and the furtheſt conviction of evidence; as beeing deſigned no leſs to found a rational certainty in the judgment, then to determine the will or conſent for embracing the ſame; yea on this account it hath been oft matter of aſtonishment, how in the teaching, and miniſterial work, which God hath appointed for his Church, the primary truths of Religion should not be more held forth to men with that clearneſs of evidence and demonſtration, as ſuch great, and marvelous things require, and the temper of this age calls for; or how the great things of God, that are of the highest conſequence, and reality, can have any poſſible reception from men by ane implicite or ordinare aſſent; or whence it is, that with moſt it ſeemes their work ſeems wholly ſett on the noetick, when ſo little on the dianoetick part of Divinity: but on the other hand I muſt alſo witneſs, that if ever I knew what it was to attain ane inward aſſurance of the truth, and revelation of Chriſt, and to be at reſt herein; that the eternal Son of God was revealed from Heaven in our nature to ſave lost man, and that there is a ſtate of grace here, and of glory hereafter; I have found that no light, or conviction of judgment, tho with ſuch evidence as could leave no room for doubtfulneſs in the ſame, can effectually work without the internal evidence, and demonstration of the Spirit of God, and a ſupernatural power both to beget, and ſtrengthen ſuch a Faith in the ſoul; yea that without this, the furtheſt of objective evidence to cauſe irreſiſtably a clear and rational aſſurance of divine truth, tho it were followed with a diſpenſation of miracles, will not quiet the Spirit of ſuch, who under ſome deep exerciſe may be haunted with hid, and dreadful temptations to infidelity, until they know the truth of a power, and evidence, as goes above any moral influence. It is true this is not expreſſible to others, and they muſt come and ſee, who would know in what manner the Spirit of God bears evidence to his own truth, and what ſtrong impresſion his work hath on the internal Senſes of a Christian, yea what piercing intelligences are betwixt ſuch, who ſurely know, and are partakers of a divine life, and their bleſsed Head in this ſtate of mortality, but if this were not known and ſure, we might ſay ane eſtablished Chriſtian whoſe work is to follow the Lord fully, and adventure with aſſurance upon him, is ſuch as might be ſought for here in the earth, but would not be found. 2. If I be perſwaded of the truth, and Excellency of Religion, I muſt ſee this to be of as undeniable evidence, that it hath no true or ſolid intereſt in the Earth, but in the way of tryal and experience in it's power and efficacy on mens ſoull; and makes no reall ground or conqueſt, by an external profeſſion, or can ſerve to eternal ends, until once that radical principle of the life of God in the ſoull be underſtood; that choiſe company who are now going through time to the Church triumphant upon fresh and continued ſupplies of divine aſſiſtance, are theſe alone in whom the Chriſtian Faith is kept alive this day on the earth, and it is one of the things I have thought moſt aſtoniſhing in the publick State of Religion, that in an age, when reaſon is ſo much pretended, men can deſign a tryall of the enjoyment of a Heaven for ever in another World, and yet hath not the ſame deſign on a perſonal tryall of the enjoyments of grace here, to know converſe with God in the ſpirit, and the certainty of that trade and commerce, which is betwixt Heaven and Earth whilſt we are yet on it, that are things ſo highly remote from all humane ſence. 3. It hath preſt me to inſiſt more on this ſubject, that this way is ſo viſibly gathering ſtrength, and ſeems to have the greateſt prevalence now in the Reformed Churches, how to divide the moral part of our Religion in the duties and ſervices thereof, from its internal and vital part, ſo as this mortal contagion hath got in on the light and principles of this Generation, that if there were not an abſolute aſſurance by the promiſe of God, we might fear truth and piety ſhould quickly perish from the earth. Oh what a ſtrange & prodigious oppoſition is this! againſt the whole internal work & vitals of that pure and excellent Religion; wherein both the comfort and glory of humane ſtate lyes, & how is't conceivable men ſhould be here capable of converſe with God in the ſpirit, if there were not a conformity to him in the ſame kind by a participation of the divine nature; yea if there were not ſo rare a being on the earth as the new man, which is born of God, and his immediate workmanship, which hath its peculiar grouth & vital acts proper thereto, and in that ſence as it's contradiſtinguished from the old man cannot poſſibly ſin it ſelf, tho it be formed in the heart of a ſinner, and hath it's being therein, no more then the life of God, which is a partaking of the divine nature, can put forth any act of ſin, but hath a continued conflict therewith; and thus tends to give the clear ſence of that Scripture 1 John 5: 18. we know that whatever is born of God ſinneth not, & Rom 7: 20. It is no more I, but ſin that duelleth in me, nam unumquodque operatur ſecundum ſuam formam; for if this ſtood not ſure, the whole frame of experimental Religion, were an unaccountable riddle.